Chapter 5, part 2

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For the next two days, Hlao was confined to her bed in the infirmary. Each morning, a nurse would come in with her breakfast and administer a daily dose of healing magic. Hlao grew intensely bored. She was only allowed to walk around her room to use the necessary. If it weren’t for the near-constant visits from her three new friends, and of course Collin, she would have gone insane. Thankfully her adopted brother, Tristan, Kira, and even Ahmen, would visit, either on their own or together, whenever their duties about the city allowed.  

Hlao was humbled that the princess of this regal city would condescend to visit a common girl like herself. Where she was from, a noble would never associate with the lower classes. Not for the first time, Hlao realized that this was a very strange world she had come to.

When her friends visited, they told her all about the wonders of Syldraga, and the sad state it had entered since the beginning of what they called the Shadow War.

“We weren’t even aware of the demon’s coming until it was too late,” Tristan explained when Hlao asked the second day. “We should have known something was wrong when a large expanse of the western Moon Wood, far to the southwest, began to die, transforming into an arid desert. We got serious reports from the thousands of Wolf Folk, centaurs and fauns that were displaced from the area, but we wrote it off as a blight that had struck the trees. It didn’t appear to be spreading to the rest of the wood, so we were not concerned. While we were blissfully unaware, Rosairus began calling all the evil races of Syldraga, the goblins, orcs, trolgors, and others even more hideous, to his banner. Again, we received reports of increased numbers of shadowspawn, but they weren’t attacking anyone aside from the odd raid, not so unusual here, so we let them be. We are a peaceful folk, and avoid bloodshed as much as possible. So we were caught completely off guard when Wyrenguard was attacked fifteen years ago. We were in dire straights, but the moment you were sent through the World Book, the fighting stopped. The Shadow Legion retreated back to the new Badlands, and they’re back to the usual scattered raids. But that was when the darkness began to creep over our skies. We were the only city with enough trained wizards to sustain a shield. Everything beyond has become shrouded in perpetual twilight, frozen and cold. The day the shield around Wyrenguard fails is the day the Lord of Shadows has won.”

Hlao felt a deep sorrow and compassion for these brave people. Glimpsing brief views of the city from out of her window, she saw folk bustling about the chores of everyday life, seemingly uncaring of the danger that haunted them. She left her window open all day to hear all of the chatter and gossip of the city pass below. The infirmary was perched on top of an overhanging cliff in the great mountain, right above the main thoroughfare winding all the way up to the peak. It seemed that all the inhabitants passed beneath her window at one time or other. She enjoyed hearing the happy voices of the city folk.

Finally, on the third day since Hlao awakened, the head healer, a plump, cheerful woman named Marith, pronounced Hlao fit to leave the infirmary. Hlao rushed to hug the kindly woman, thanking her for all she had done. She had become quite fond of the motherly healer woman during her days recuperating. Marith patted her cheek with a smile saying, “Think nothing of it my dear, just you make sure you don’t end up back here. That is, unless you just want to come back and say hello.” Hlao promised Marith she would visit, then stepped outside where Ahmen and Kira were waiting for her. Zenny ran up to Hlao and leapt up to place his forepaws on her leg.

“It’s about time you were out of there,” he said as she ruffled his ears.

“You think I wanted to stay cooped up in there for three days?” Hlao chuckled.

“I’m glad you’re up and about,” Ahmen said, taking her arm. She began leading Hlao down into the lower reaches of the city. “Now, its time we showed you to your new quarters. You’ll be rooming with Kira and me at the Whitschool for the next few years.”

“The Whitschool?”

“It’s the best school in the Dragon Realm,” Kira replied proudly. “We learn everything from combat, to history, philosophy, mathematics. Just about the only thing they don’t teach there is magic.”

“Aye, if they spot the potential in you, you get apprenticed to one of the wizards in the tower. I take lessons with my master, Lady Lynira, every other day,” Ahmen told her.

“You have magic?” Hlao asked, surprised.

“Yes, all of the royal lineage have it,” Ahmen answered. Holding up her hand, she summoned a tiny flame that rested just above her skin. Ahmen grimaced in concentration, a faint sheen of sweat breaking out on her brow, but the flame only lasted a few seconds before flickering out. The princess let out a sigh of frustration. “I’m afraid I’m not any good though.”

“I thought that was brilliant,” Hlao said, making Ahmen smile.

“She’d be better if she practiced more,” Marwyn quipped, earning a swat about the ears from his companion. The five of them continued along the busy causeways, over many bridges and down several flights of stairs.

As the five friends strolled along the streets of Wyrenguard, Hlao got to see more of the city’s grandeur. All the buildings of Wyrenguard were made of the same strange metal as the gate, but so seamlessly joined on and through the stone of the mountain so as to be indistinguishable. Steps were carved into the contours of the mountain, leading in every direction. Smoothly paved roads wound through the city. Wherever there were no buildings, there were terraces overflowing with plants of every description, many heavy with fruit. People bustled past them, a veritable menagerie of creatures trotting by their sides, going about their daily business. The animals were from every imaginable species, and some unimaginable, making the city a colorful patchwork of diversity.

They all waved at the friends as they passed, crying out “Bright day!”, bowing their heads in deference to the princess. It all seemed so- normal, as if they had no idea that a war was going on right outside their walls. Perhaps going about a normal life was what kept these people going in such bleak times, Hlao thought.

 

 Ahmen and Kira shared stories about their years in the Whitschool, which had Hlao in gales of laughter all the way to the wrought iron gates of the school grounds. She hardly noticed the long walk until the gates swung open to allow them through, the vista widening out before them into beautiful sloping lawns dotted with low, white stone buildings. Since it was only noon, many students were crossing the grounds to their next class, or studying out on the grass.

The place reminded Hlao of a university her father had told her about once. She’d always wanted to attend a university, but not many girls were allowed to attend in her time. Kira and the princess led the way along neat paths of more crushed white stone, passing in front of the largest building, which Marwyn pointed out was the main hall and dining area.

They entered one of the many long buildings that served as dormitories. When Hlao noticed that part of the hallway sloped down into a tunnel, Kira explained that all of the buildings of the Whitschool were interconnected by a series of underground tunnels so that students could still attend their classes even in bad weather.

 They continued down several corridors, Hlao fervently trying to memorize the route so she could find her way back to the entrance. It was a very homey place, for a dormitory housing, according to Ahmen and Kira, three score students. Beautiful redwood panels ran along both walls of the corridors, embossed with fanciful carvings. Realistic oil paintings hung on the walls, depicting elegant people, hunts, glorious landscapes, and many other things.

Small windows let in the light from outside. But that wasn’t the only source of light; small round glass spheres were set into the wall, filled with some sort of substance that emitted a soft golden glow. Hlao was intrigued; at home they relied on the light from fire, since few could afford the new electric lightbulbs. These spheres were everywhere, but Hlao saw no sign of wires. Yet more proof of how advanced these people were. This society was a very strange mix of advanced and primitive.

 They came to a stop in front of one of the many doors that lined the corridors. The metal numbers 224 were hammered onto the lintel. But, to Hlao’s surprise, there was no knob. She was just about to ask how exactly they were going to get inside, when Ahmen placed her hand on a glass panel next to the door. The panel glowed, and there was a soft click. The door swung open on neatly oiled hinges, making Hlao jump.

“That panel is spelled so that it will open only if it senses the fingerprint of the students assigned to the room. Each person has a unique print, and no two are ever the same,” the princess laughed at her friend’s response. “The headmistress probably came around already and changed the spell so that you can get in here now too. Shall we give you the grand tour?” Ahmen gestured for her friends to precede her, and Hlao stepped inside, glancing about in curiosity.    

There were three large feather beds and next to each bed stood an elegant nightstand. There was a wooden desk set against one wall. Three very comfortable looking chairs surrounded a cozy fireplace. There were two doorways, one of which was the one they had just come through, the other leading to another room. Hlao knew this because the door was slightly ajar, but she couldn’t make out what was inside. A pair of windows let in golden sunlight.

It was a homey room, well lived in; all sorts of personal knick-knacks were displayed on the nightstands. 

     “Welcome to your home. At least, until you graduate and earn the right to chose a home for yourself. Whatever we have is yours,” Ahmen told her, coming up behind her to rest a hand on her shoulder. Hlao suddenly felt a lump in her throat at the double truth of the princess’ words. She reached up to clasp Ahmen’s hand gratefully.

“Mate, you have no idea how wonderful that sounds.”

 

            The next morning, Hlao awoke feeling more contented then she could ever remember feeling. Running a hand through her raven curls, she realized with a rueful smile that she hadn’t been able to get a thorough wash since she came to the city. She grinned sheepishly when her room mates laughed at her rumpled appearance. “What I get for being stuck with an arrow,” she joked. Her two friends helped her find a fresh set of clothes in one of the chests of drawers. It was a simple button down blouse, an embroidered burgundy vest, and tan breeches. Once she had her clothes in a bundle in her hands, she looked around for the washroom so that she could change.  “Now, where’s the…”

“Through that door, first room on the left. You can’t miss it,” Kira supplied helpfully, pointing the way. “Thanks.” Hlao hurried through the door that led further into the set of rooms and found the washroom right where Kira had said it was. And it was pretty hard to miss. It was a huge room, with marble sinks, tile patterns on the floor, and soft white towels. Hlao’s favorite part was the bath. A large section of the floor was surrounded by a raised ledge to keep the water in. It dipped down into a slight bowl shape, with a drain to take dirty water away. Lots of shower heads stuck out of the wall above the bowl. Hlao had never seen such a complex shower before. There were also a lot of faucets. Hlao couldn’t resist turning every one before stepping in. Some of the showerheads didn’t spray water; instead it was some sort of soapy liquid that, when mixed with the water created streams of bubbles. By the time Hlao was finished satisfying her curiosity about how the shower worked, the room was full of floating bubbles. Hlao laughed, popping a few with a fingertip, and stepped in under the streams of water. Hlao lingered in the extraordinary shower, reveling in the wonderfully warm water. Finally she stepped out, and slipped into her new garments. No sooner had she begun toweling her hair dry, wandering back into the main room to inquire about breakfast on behalf of her gurgling stomach, when there was a nock at the door. Marwyn padded over to answer it, purring out a courteous greeting to their visitor.

“Mistress Fernally, good morning.”

“Good morning Marwyn,” the Whitmaster replied with a friendly smile. “Hello Ahmen, Kira, Zenny. Ah, and you must be Hlao. Welcome to my school. I trust you slept well?”

“Yes, ma’am, thank you,” Hlao mumbled, still not used to the courtesy that seemed to be the norm here.

Their visitor was a middle aged woman, very tall and thin, with short cropped, rather spiky dirty-blond hair, and sharp, aquiline features. Her animal partner was a giant dragonfly, eight feet long. His segmented body was jade green, his clear wings iridescent in the light as he moved them slowly up and down.

“That’s the Whitmaster, Fernally, and her partner’s Zalax,” Kira whispered in Hlao’s ear. Hlao nodded her thanks, remembering to use the greeting gesture her room mates had shown her.

“It is an honor to meet you, mistress.”

Fernally nodded curtly in acknowledgement. “Very good. Now, I just came here to give you your schedule for the day,” she went on briskly, once again all business. “You will need to be fitted for your gown for you Welcoming ceremony. To that end, I have invited our best seamstress Evraine to take your measurements. Ah, here she is now.”   

A tall brunette woman with flashing hazel eyes bustled in bearing a tray piled high with plates of warm pastries, fruit preserves, and honey. “Master Fernally, I don’t know how you expect the child to sit through a fitting on an empty stomach. I certainly can’t have her wriggling about while I’m sticking pins in,” she scolded the Whitmaster shamelessly. Her apprentice, a girl of about nine or ten, followed quietly on her heels, arms burdened with bolts of white fabric, with a wooden stool perched precariously on top. Fernally arched one eyebrow with a wry smile. “I’ll leave you to it then,” she said as she headed for the door. “Oh, once you have finished here Hlao, I expect you to meet me for your first lesson. Brimblewind has informed me of your- unique circumstances, and I have developed a curriculum that will bring you up to speed. Try not to keep her here too long, Evraine, we’ve got a lot to cover in a very short time. I’ll be waiting for you and Collin in my classroom. It’s on the second floor of the main building; Ahmen and Kira can help show you exactly where it is. Remember, be quick!” With that last command, Fernally turned and swept out of the room without even a nod.

Hlao stared after the Whitmaster, her eyebrows slightly raised. “Is she always so- direct?” she asked her room mates. Ahmen and Kira rolled their eyes at each other. Obviously they had had a lot of experience with Fernally’s peculiar attitude

“Oh yes.”

“Always.’

 Evraine plunked the breakfast tray down on the desk, giving a dismissive wave in the direction of the doorway Fernally had just exited. “Never mind her, come, let me have a look at you.” She rounded on Hlao, appraising her with hands on hips. She lifted one of the surprised girl’s arms, let it drop, and immediately seized the other, finally turning Hlao about and concluding with a snort, “You’re a bit old for the Krisenwe ceremony, but I am happy to lend my services to the daughter of my old friend Tressor.” The seamstress broke into a grin that Hlao couldn’t help but return.  

“Now, are you hungry?”

Hlao’s stomach growled, answering for her. “Starving,” Hlao seconded her gut with a laugh. The seamstress pushed her into a chair, gesturing encouragingly to the tray of delicious smelling food she had brought. “You are far too skinny, sweeting, we need to get some meat on those bones or any garments I make will just fall right off.”

Hlao tucked in with a will, generously offering her room mates and their partners to share in the meal. She even gave a piece of nut bread drizzled in honey to Evraine’s apprentice. When she was thoroughly sated she rolled one last piece of crust to Zenny, licked her fingers clean, and allowed Evraine to stand her on the stool. With a flick of her fingers, the older woman sent one of her measuring strips gliding up out of her pocket and through the air to snake along Hlao’s arm.    

      Hlao gave a muffled squeak of surprise as the seamstress flicked her fingers again and it moved up to settle across the shoulders. Then she grinned broadly, saying, “This magic of yours can sure be used for a lot of things.”

“Well, from what I hear this paltry spell is nothing compared to what you can do,” Evraine chuckled knowingly. Hlao fell immediately silent at that. To her, magic still seemed like a practice of the devil. And yet, as the tape flowed down her other arm, she mused that magic seemed to be rather useful. Evraine didn’t seem to notice her discomfort, and kept on taking her measurements. After a few more minutes, and just as Hlao’s nose was starting to itch, Evraine called the tape back into her pocket. Taking up the white bolts of fabric from where her apprentice had placed them on the bed, she draped them over her shoulder, and quickly set to work pinning. “I’ll have this pinned in no time. Once that’s done, I’ll just take it and sew it by magic, and add a few little touches. I promise I’ll have it to you before the ceremony tomorrow at noon.”

“Tomorrow?” Hlao said in surprise, turning around to shoot a look at Evraine, and earning a reproving look in return. She turned meekly back around, continuing. “I didn’t expect it to be so soon.”

“Well, normally you would have gone through the ceremony on your naming day, a year and a day after your birth. However, you didn’t have the chance before you had to leave us. Now that you have returned, we want to do things properly,” Evraine explained around a mouthful of pins.

“But, I don’t know anything about this ceremony, what am I supposed to do?” Hlao asked apprehensively.

“Oh, I’m sure Fernally will go over everything you need to know in your session this afternoon. It’s nothing to fret about. Now hold still, I’m almost finished back here. Next I need to move on to the sleeves.”

And so Hlao did her best to hold still for the next half hour, while Evraine moved around her, sticking in a pin here, making a mark there. The seamstress entertained her captive audience with her memories of Tressor and Celandria. Hlao listened attentively to these stories, enraptured by the glimpses of the parents she’d never get the chance to meet. Before Hlao knew it, Evraine pronounced the fitting over with a satisfied, “Hmph, It’ll do,” and she helped Hlao to step out of the half-finished garment, dumping the cloth into the arms of her apprentice.

     But before the seamstress could leave, Hlao asked her to do something that she had always wanted to have done, but her parents had not allowed.

“Could you pierce my ears?” All the high-born women she had seen passing through Fairnesse had beautiful drops and jewels dangling from their ears, and growing up she had much admired them.

“But of course,” Evraine said, half surprising Hlao with her ready agreement. “We tailors always have pins handy.” Suiting action to words, the seamstress brought out an extra pin. After murmuring a quick spell, the needle glowed white, and Evraine was ready. More ready than Hlao was. Now, eyeing the very long and sharp needle pinched between Evraine’s fingers, the young woman started to have misgivings. But Ahmen quickly came up behind her and gently pressed her into a chair.

“Don’t worry; it’ll be over before you know it. She did mine on my welcoming day, she’s had a lot of practice. That spell not only sterilized the needle, but it numbs the skin as it passes through. You’ll hardly feel a thing. Here, mistress, you may use a pair of my earings to set the holes.”

Hlao flinched as the needle darted in toward her earlobe. There was a sharp pressure, and a dull ache, swiftly repeated on the other side.

“There you are, Hlao, and I must say you were much less fussy than most of the babies I usually deal with.”

Hlao looked over at the mirror on the wall above the desk and saw two amber colored stones winking at her ears. Grinning in delight, the slight discomfort forgotten, she turned her head this way and that, admiring how these stones actually accented the graceful curve of her delicately pointed ears (she had certainly never thought of those horrible points as graceful before.)

“Thank you, mistress, it’s lovely. And thank you, Ahmen. I promise I’ll give them back.”

“Keep them. Consider them my naming day gift to you,” Ahmen said with a smile and an airy wave of her hand. Momentarily forgetting that she was a princess, Hlao rushed over and gave her friend a grateful hug. Ahmen hugged her back, then gave her a gentle push towards the door. “All right, come on Marwyn, Kira, we’d best be off, Fernally’s probably getting impatient. And she is not a woman you want to keep waiting.” As Hlao bustled out the door, she giggled, “Oh, I already guessed that!”

Ahmen and Kira guided Hlao along the quickest route through the underground tunnels, arriving at the main building where all the classrooms were in a matter of minutes. Once they had reached the second floor, Kira pointed out Fernally’s door, and Hlao was suddenly left alone as her room mates scampered off to their own classes. But only a moment later, Collin came dashing down the hall, and immediately threw his arms around her waist, burying his head against her chest.

“They told me you were finally out of the infirmary! I would have come sooner, but they started me on lessons right away.

Outside of Fernally’s door, Hlao paused, not sure if she should knock.

“Come in you two, let’s get started,” came Fernally’s clipped voice from inside. Hlao and Collin shot each other a look, surprised that Fernally had sensed them coming, and then tentatively entered the room. Fernally was sitting at her desk, and Hlao was pleased to note that there was no trace of impatience in her face. Zalax was resting on a metal perch, watching them through his whirling, multifaceted eyes.

“Relax, children. I don’t bite, despite whatever some of my other students may claim,” Fernally said with a quick smile, sensing Hlao and Collin’s trepidation. She gestured to two seats. “Now, sit down. The next week will hold two important ceremonies, both integral to you joining Syldragan society. The first is your Krisenwé, or Light Giving ceremony tomorrow, where you will be welcomed and bound to the people. I will give you both your instructions later. But there is another, even more important; your Whitbonding ceremony.” She stood up and strode around to the front of the desk, her hands clasped behind her back. She placed a heavy leather-bound book on both of their desks and bade them open to the first chapter. The book turned out to be a history of Syldraga and its races, specifically tailored for students.

“Now do you have any idea what a Whitguide actually is?”  Hlao and Collin both shook their heads mutely. “As I’m sure you’ve realized they are more than just animals. When you chose a Whitpartner, they stay with you for life. They’re a partner of the soul. You hear each other’s thoughts, sense each other’s emotions. It’s a level of closeness and sharing that you can’t find anywhere else. They define each individual, while remaining a distinct and separate being.” Hlao and Collin both sat foreword eagerly, fascinated.  

“How do you know who your partner should be?” Collin asked, eyes straying to the dragonfly gently fanning his wings on his perch. “Like how did you know to pick Zalax?”

“Oh, you’ll know when you find them. They sing to your soul. Generally they also speak to you in your thoughts. Out of all the prospective bond mates attending, you will hear only your partner’s thoughts. Knowing when your partner has found you… that’s the easy part.”   “How did this all start?” Hlao asked in a hushed voice, awed by how beautiful a practice this was. Fernally took a casual seat on the edge of her desk, allowing herself time to come up with an answer. “There’s a deep law, written into the very fabric of a world itself that governs certain aspects of life there. Part of our deep law has allowed humans, Elves and Dwarves to bond with their animal brothers and sisters, and so greater understand and appreciate the bounty our planet has provided us. No one knows where exactly the practice started. It has always been a part of our culture, as far back as our known history goes. If you look at page five you’ll see the first mention of people and animals bonding.”  For the next two hours, Fernally had them flipping through the history book, telling them about the finer points of Whitbonding; what the ceremony was going to entail, what sort of training they would go through once they had partners, what the actual bonding ceremony would be like. The Whit training sounded very intense, involving learning how to work together on everything from simple chores, to combat. And how to function as two separate parts of a unit. At the end of one cycle, the Syldragan equivalent of an Earth year, a test was given to see how closely the partners worked together. Generally, pairs didn’t pass on their first try; most of the time it took several years for partners to become fully attuned to one another. That’s why people were generally brought to the gathering at a very young age, five or six. Hlao was a bit old, but Fernally didn’t see a problem with that. When the pair passed their annual exam, proving the depth of their bond, they were fully and officially joined in a special ceremony. It was very complicated, but also very beautiful. Hlao doubted she would really understand half of the things involved until she went through it herself. And that was one conclusion she drew out of Fernally’s class; she did want to attend the gathering, even if she didn’t find a partner this time around. It was too much to resist, being bonded to an animal partner with whom she could share all her secrets and they wouldn’t tell a soul. Collin immediately seconded wanting to attend the gathering when Fernally asked them. Hlao began to imagine all the possible creatures she could be paired with, almost giddy with excitement, tuning out whatever Fernally was saying. She wished the gathering was today; seven days seemed like an eternity to wait.

            Hlao was just brushing out her hair the next morning when Tristan knocked at her door. Ahmen and Kira had already left for classes; the teachers had all agreed to end class early today for the ceremony. Still in her nightgown, Hlao flung the door open, beaming up at her friend, and giving a hug to Pippin when the little leaf sprite leaped into her arms. “Bright day, Tris! What are you doing here?” “I came to deliver this from Evraine,” the young elf replied, handing her a parchment wrapped package. “And, to help ready you for the Welcoming. I’ve volunteered to be your sponsor,” he continued as she eagerly untied the string around the package. Hlao paused in her unwrapping, looking up in surprise. Then she smiled in gratitude. “I was wondering who was going to take the job. Thank you. I guess you are the closest thing I have to family here, besides Col.”

“I am honored that you think so Hlao. I’ve become rather fond of you, too.”

Hlao met Tristan’s smiling green eyes for a moment, then hastily looked down at the unwrapped gown in her lap, blushing. She ran the light fabric through her fingers, delighted at the soft texture, and the way it flowed like water in her hands. Picking up the garment that was only a piece of shapeless cloth the day before, she held the finished gown against her body. “Why, this is beautiful!” “Go on and try it on,” Tristan chucked, giving her a slight nudge towards the back room. Hlao eagerly obeyed, unlacing the collar of her nightgown as she went. She slipped into the ceremonial garb, and then stepped in front of the washroom mirror. It fit the curves of her body like a glove. Her shoulders were left bare, with two short sleeves of gauzy translucent fabric wrapping around her upper arms. There was beautiful gold threadwork around the neckline. Tiny gemstones twinkled at the neckline and on the slightly flared skirt. It cinched at the waist with a gold braid of ribbon.  She stood staring at herself for a long time, scarcely recognizing her own reflection. “Hlao, is everything all right?” Tristan asked, coming in behind her. His eyes went a little wide as he took her in, and he almost forgot to breathe. In a word she was beautiful, silky curls brushing her bare shoulders, blue eyes wide in her ivory and rose face. With a start Hlao realized that he must have called her several times. She turned around, asking, “What?” when she caught his look. “Oh, nothing. I… er, would you like me to help lace the back for you?” “Yes, please,” Hlao replied quietly, turning back around. After deftly lacing up the back of her gown, Tristan led Hlao back into the main room where he picked up a clay jar Hlao hadn’t noticed him bring in. “What’s that for?”

“This is ceremonial paint, made from plants from the royal grove in Ruenwind, capital city of the Elvin kingdom. We use this specific kind for the Welcoming, to trace the jeshen, those speckles in your skin that show up in the dark. The paint is dyed to match the color of the individual elf’s jeshen Now, just sit still while I do this, sorry if it feels cold.”

Hlao sat at the desk chair, hands folded meekly in her lap. Tristan gently cupped her chin in one hand, dipping a finger of the other into the light blue paint. As he carefully began to trace a thin line across the bridge of her nose (nearly making her sneeze) he began to sing in a smooth tenor voice. The words sighed like the wind through old leaves, rose and fell like a brook, soared like the trill of a bird. The song formed a tale in Hlao’s mind, of deep forests, sheltered glades, running streams and waterfalls, flowers and animals, and above all, the Great Tree, towering higher than any tree Hlao had ever dreamed of. It told the history of the Elves, eternally watched over by the great Grower, the one who had planted the great tree and fashioned the first Elves. The words had a strange tingle of power to them, filling her heart with peace and joy, even if the magic made her nose itch even worse. Between the song, and the soothing pressure of Tristan painting her face, neck and arms, she nearly dozed off. After he finished tracing the swirling pattern of jeshen spots, Tristan finished the song in a ringing trill of prayer for peace and light for the future. Then he wiped his fingers on a towel, and deftly wound a garland of beautiful deep blue blossoms with silver stamen into her hair. Several times, he had to shoo Pippin away from burrowing into the girl’s curls and ruining all his work. “What kind are they?” Hlao asked, fingering one of the blossoms. “These are night roses, a very rare flower only found in the deep forests of Ruenwind. They only bloom at night,” Tristan answered, handing her one of the roses for her inspection. Hlao took it and held it up to her nose, inhaling the sweet, heady aroma with a murmur of delight. “Your name means night rose, you know,” Tristan added with a smile, offering her his arm. “I think you’re ready now.” “Oh, I’ll say! You look simply lovely, Hlao,” Pippin seconded. Rising gracefully from her seat, Hlao bowed to them both, finding secret pleasure in the rustle of her skirt. Never had she worn garments this fine. Placing her hand on her friend’s arm the way she had seen ladies do, the pair headed outside, Pippin racing along behind. Reaching the gates of the school grounds, Tristan took a small silver whistle from around his necks and raised it to his lips. A long low note echoed off the sides of the buildings, filled with the now familiar tingle of magic. The young elf replaced the whistle and stood waiting patiently- for what, Hlao hadn’t the faintest clue. After almost a full minute of silence, Hlao was about to tap her friend on the shoulder and ask him what they were waiting for. Then the answer came rolling around the corner.

Tristan beamed. “Ah, here it is. Your Welcoming will take place in the great hall of the palace, which is up in the highest reaches of the city. We don’t want to soil your dress with a long walk so I called us a glider.”

The “glider” as Tristan called it, was made of a smooth honey-colored metal. It had three wheels, one small one in the front, two larger ones in the back. The front wheel was extended out by two curved strips of metal. A large carriage sat between the back wheels with a large plate of clear glass on the front, and two smaller ones on the sides.

The glider came to a stop a few feet away, humming gently. Tristan stepped up next to the strange craft and touched a panel on the side. Hlao jumped when the whole side swung up with a hiss. Her friend hopped up into the carriage’s interior without hesitation, but Hlao stood rooted to the spot, unable to believe her eyes.

She moved slowly around the glider, touching it, half expecting it to be alive. It moved so smoothly, and there was no driver or any steering at all that she could see. Even the few horseless carriages she had seen back on Earth had required a steering wheel and driver. 

“I take it you don’t have gliders on Earth,” Tristan said wryly, observing Hlao’s shocked expression.

“We have horseless carriages, but nothing like this,” Hlao replied in a faint voice, running her hand along the metal of the glider. Then her voice became eager, her curiosity overwhelming her surprise. “How does it work?”

“It runs on Magical energy,” Tristan explained. “There’s a tank of raw magic here underneath the carriage. That magic is siphoned into the motor, where it’s converted into energy. There’s no emissions, only more raw magic which is channeled back into the holding tank. A self-renewing energy source” 

“Ingenious,” Hlao murmured. That was all she could think to say. All of this was just so far over her head. Finally nerving herself up, she hopped up into the comfortable interior. As she gingerly sat down, the cushions seemed to mold to her frame. To say the least, it was the most comfortable seat she had ever had the pleasure of sitting in. 

“Top lift,” Tristan called out. The door slid shut, and the glider moved off as smoothly as if it were sliding over ice. It was quiet too, the only sound being a quiet hum.  

“How does it know where to go?”

“The wizards devised a magical guidance system for all of the gliders we have in Wyrenguard,” Tristan replied. “You just tell it where to go, like casting a spell. Magic responds very well to spoken commands.”

As the glider wound its way along the streets of the city, Hlao noticed that they were more crowded today than usual. There was a steady stream of people and Whitguides, and they all seemed to be heading up the mountain. Hlao swallowed nervously; she had never been fond of crowds, and all these people appeared to be heading to see her Welcoming. When she checked with Tristan, he told her, “Of course, everyone is going to be there, even the King. A Welcoming is a special and joyous event, especially in these troubled times. Besides, I think everyone is quite curious to get a look at the mysterious girl from Terrador.”

Pippin sat in Hlao’s lap, and the girl distracted herself from her nerves by stroking the leaf sprite’s soft luxurious fur. Finally, the road wound to a halt, disappearing into a sheer rock face. The glider stopped short of the end, breaking with a soft hiss to allow its passengers to step out.

After giving Hlao a hand down, Tristan gave the glider a pat and told it to go back to its garage. As if it could actually hear him, the glider released the break, did a neat turn that Hlao thought impossible for such a large object, and with a tinkling chime it rolled off back down the mountain. Tristan then led Hlao to a set of metal doors set in the cliff that cut off the road. They slid open at the touch of a button and inside was a small round chamber, a panel of wood running along the walls at waist height. Attached to this panel were two levers of some sort, on opposite walls of the chamber. At least, they looked like levers to Hlao, but they could be used for anything. Light came from the small glass light spheres embedded in the walls and ceiling.

Hlao paused just outside the doors, frowning slightly. This couldn’t be right. The Hall was still several hundred yards further up. This room didn’t look like it led anywhere; it was a dead end. Still a bit skeptical, Hlao stepped inside. Well, Tristan must know what he was doing. Perhaps there was some hidden door or something.

The doors slid shut behind her, making Hlao shake her head. She still couldn’t get used to these automatic doors. As soon as the doors were shut, Tristan wrapped a hand around one of the strange levers. Hlao had to catch herself against the wall as the entire chamber suddenly lurched into movement.

Pippin chittered in amusement. “This is a power lift. They’re all over the city, helping us reach the more out of the way areas. There are three that provide access to the royal plateau, apart from the great stair. It’s just an advanced form of pulley system.”

Hlao let out a soft, “Ah,” of understanding. Here was something she understood. Her father used wooden pulleys and ropes to lower supplies into dig sights all the time, especially when there was only a narrow shaft uncovered.  

The ride lasted only about a few seconds. The lift chunked to a stop, and the doors slid open again. Hlao, Tristan and Pippin stepped back out into the open air onto the base of a wide flight of stairs. What Hlao saw next quite literally took her breath away.

As she took the last few steps up, she was surrounded by a huge circular courtyard. It was more like a garden park; flowers, trees and bushes of every color and size, most of which Hlao had never seen before, grew in profusion. Hlao could hear the gurgling chuckle of a fountain somewhere. Bees and hummingbirds, glowing in bright colors that Hlao had never seen before, hummed over the plants. The stream of people and Whitpartners from lower down continued along the myriad paths of the garden.   

And above it all a white marble building, vaguely Greek in style, glittered in the sun, surmounted by a magnificent gold dome. Hlao was speechless with wonder as her friend led her down the main path toward the domed building. She wished she could explore this beautiful garden for a little while, but she had her Welcoming ceremony to attend.

The two guards on either side of the large metal door stood up straight and saluted with their spears. They swung the doors wide and Hlao, Tristan and Pippin marched through. The marble hall was even more spectacular on the inside. Stained glass windows sent washes of color across the floor.

Regal marble statues lined both sides of the hall, each on a pedestal set into an alcove in the wall.

“Those are all the High Kings of the past. See, they’re all wearing the winged crown, the sign of their station,” Pippin whispered to Hlao from her perch on the girl’s shoulder. Hlao saw that one pedestal, on the very end, was empty. Hlao assumed that this was where the statue of the current High King would go when had passed on.

“Who’s High King now?” Hlao whispered back. She couldn’t say why she was whispering. With the whole atmosphere of the place, it just seemed proper.

“That would be King Argen,” Pippin replied promptly, wrapping her tail around Hlao’s neck and pointing a claw towards the head of the hall.

Hlao followed the leaf sprite’s paw to a gilded throne that stood at the other end on a raised dais, a rampant dragon etched into the back. Its extended claws were the arms, its broad wings spread out to either side. Looking closer, Hlao saw that the detailing made it look like the dragon’s wings had feathers. And seated in the throne was the High King.

The winged crown gracing his head marked his royal station. But even if he hadn’t been wearing the crown, Hlao would have guessed he was the king; there was just something regal and noble about his bearing.

He was very tall, a veritable giant, with chestnut hair and beard. A massive sword hung in a sheath at his belt, the hilt a pair of outspread wings. His whitguide was a fearsome looking golden lion, who sat close to his partner’s knee, gazing intently out over the sea of people who had flooded the hall. Hlao noticed that Brimblewind and his phoenix, Fiero, stood just behind the throne, along with a stern-faced man with salt and pepper hair bound in a horse’s tail and a sharp, slightly crooked nose that bespoke of a few fights. A silver hawk was his Whitguide.

            As Hlao entered the great hall humans, elves, and Whitguides of all shapes, fell silent. The young woman felt like every single pair of eyes was focused on her. Unused to, and frankly uncomfortable with, all this attention, she wanted to simply melt into the smooth marble floor to escape all those curious stares. But she forced herself to keep walking, tightening her grip on Tristan’s arm. Looking down at his friend, he gave her a comforting smile.   

            The crowd parted to allow them to pass through, many of them smiling and giving Hlao the greeting gesture. Hlao smiled back politely, occasionally allowing her free hand to brush the heads of curious animals that sniffed her as she passed. Tristan led her to a space that had been cleared before the throne. Hlao left him at the edge of the crowd, depositing Pippin in his arms, to walk foreword and sink to her knees before the throne. Looking up she saw Brimblewind give her a wink, violet eyes twinkling. Taking a breath, Hlao launched into the speech Fernally had given her to recite yesterday. She was proud that she didn’t even need the slip of paper her teacher had given her.

            “My lord, King Argen, all the people of Wyrenguard, I, Hlao MacKellan, daughter of Celandria Iljrene and Tressor Oralith, come before you to ask for welcome into the people. I claim this right as a Daughter of the Wood, though I did not live among you. I have returned to my rightful home, and seek to take my rightful place among you, to learn the ways as I should have.”

            King Argen stood, and descended the dais stairs, smiling kindly at her. Taking her hands, and being mindful of the paint, he lifted her gently to her feet. “Well said. Rise, daughter,” he boomed in rich bass voice that easily carried over the crowds. “I acknowledge your right. Who do you call foreword as your sponsor?”

 Tristan stepped beside Hlao, resting a hand on her shoulder, smiling approvingly at her. “I do your majesty. Tristan Layolen. I have prepared this candidate, and sung the songs of my people. I say that she is ready to receive the light.”

            “Very good, master Layolen. Let us begin then.” Resting a hand on Hlao’s head, he began chanting softly, though each word still rang like the knell of a bell. Tristan joined in too, and Brimblewind came foreword to lay his hand on her as well, until all three voices swirled around her. Other voices in the crowd added to the chant. Hlao’s nose started to itch, telling her that there was magic in these words. She could hear it too, each person’s voice lending a slightly different note to a complex harmony, almost like a symphony. Hlao was surrounded by a ring of people, each resting their hand on her, and in turn they had hands resting on them, spiraling out in rings with Hlao at the center, until the girl felt connected to every person in the hall. A tiny sphere of white light formed just above Hlao’s head as the magic built to a crescendo. With a rousing shout of, “Zionwé si zio krisen! We give you our light!” the light split into little tongues, like flame, and leapt for Hlao, entering her eyes, her ears, her nose, her mouth, and her fingers. She was filled with all of the smells and sounds of the forest, and she was briefly in tune with all the creatures nearby. Every Whit guide in the hall was a pinpoint of light within her mind. She felt a hawk wheeling high overhead, and deer quietly grazing in the nearby forest. Each animal mind had its own unique string of music. Pushing her awareness out further, out beyond the magical barrier, trying to feel more, Hlao suddenly passed into silence. Straining her mind, as she would her ears to hear a faraway sound, she could faintly hear the tinkle of music that was animal minds in hiding. Many of their minds tentatively reached out to her, and Hlao could sense their fear and sadness. She withdrew her mind back quickly, her heart aching for the creatures forced to live in perpetual twilight.

For a moment her skin shimmered with silver fire, and then the light faded. There was a ripple of movement as hands dropped back to their owner’s sides. At some unspoken signal, Argen’s lion padded foreword, clutching a small cloth bag carefully in his powerful jaws. Brimblewind summoned steaming water into a small wooden bowl. Bowl and bag were handed to Tristan, who accepted them with a bow. Taking several dried leaves and curls of bark from the bag, he dropped them into the bowl of hot water, stirring it gently with a wooden spoon. Almost immediately, the water turned a rich reddish brown, giving off a deliciously fragrant smell. Straining off the leaves and bark with the spoon, Tristan took a brief draught of the tea, and offered the bowl to Hlao. Taking it, the young woman gave her friend a perplexed look. “It’s tea brewed from the leaves and bark of the Great Tree. You’re supposed to drink it,” Pippin hissed at her. Flushing in embarrassment, Hlao raised the bowl to her lips and drank, the spicy, somewhat pungent brew warming her belly. Taking the bowl back, Tristan handed it to Brimblewind. Smiling, Hlao’s sponsor placed both hands on her shoulders, leaned foreword and ceremoniously kissed her on both eyelids. “Hlao Iljorith, you are now officially a Daughter of the Wood!” he declared, causing the whole hall to erupt in joyous cries and applause. Tristan hugged her tightly, Pippin leaning over to plant a whiskery sprite kiss on her cheek. Both Brimblewind and, to Hlao’s great surprise, the King clasped her hands warmly. Hlao and Tristan moved back to watch Collin’s Welcoming next. His sponsor was a kindly woman named Alise who, along with her husband, had agreed to take Collin. Much the same as his folks took me in all those years ago, Hlao reflected with a smile for the little mousy haired boy who would always be her little brother.

Collin’s Welcoming went much the same as her own had except that, because he was human and not half elf, he was not painted as Hlao was, and his tea was brewed from flowers in the imperial garden. Instead of being welcomed to the people of the wood, he was welcomed as one of the people of the plains. Once the ceremony was completed, Hlao stepped from the crowd to hug him tightly, whispering, “Well Col, we’re both one of the people now. How’s it feel?” “Fair grand,” Collin replied, eyes bright, a broad grin stretched across his face. “What about you?” Hlao gave him an answering smile. “Fair grand.”

Hlao and Collin’s welcoming feast lasted the rest of the day and well into the night.